Epic Collaboration! Department of Information Technology ITS Partners with NUS to Build the Future of Artificial Intelligence

A glimpse of the enthusiasm of ITS Department of Information Technology students as they
participate in a hands-on Software Engineering Project Management session with Mr. Ganesh Neelakanta Iyer

Surabaya, IT Journalistic — The Department of Information Technology at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) has kicked off the even semester of 2024/2025 with an exceptional step through a guest lecture from a prestigious academic from the National University of Singapore (NUS). Dr. Ganesh Neelakanta Iyer from the School of Computing NUS, a university ranked 6th globally in Computer Science and Information Systems according to the QS World University Ranking 2025, brought the spirit of internationalization to the ITS campus.

“This session with Ganesh from NUS is not just an ordinary guest lecture. It marks the beginning of a collaboration between the Department of Information Technology at ITS and SoC NUS to enhance the AI-based learning ecosystem at ITS,” affirmed Dr. Ir. Henning Titi Ciptaningtyas, Secretary of the Department of Information Technology at ITS, when interviewed.

The guest lecture themed “Software Engineering Project Management” held at the Tower 2 Auditorium of ITS not only attracted 150 undergraduate students from the Information Technology program at ITS but was also attended by 30 international students from various Philippine universities such as Batangas State University, North Eastern Mindanao State University, University of Luzon, and Saint Mary University.

Nicholas Arya, an Information Technology student from the class of 2023, expressed his interest in the material presented. “In my opinion, the most interesting point was the concept of ‘Be the Change.’ It encourages us to dare to change for the better, for example, by initiating interactions with others to develop relationships and achievements,” he said. He also highlighted the workflow concept explained by Ganesh. “Initially, I thought workflow was just a beginning-middle-end sequence. However, in the world of technology, there are many more complex aspects that can be applied to improve efficiency and productivity,” added Nicholas.

For students like Nicholas, this experience is more than just a lecture. “I am now more motivated to learn and implement the workflow concept that I just learned. My hope is that guest lectures like this can be held frequently so that students are more prepared to face the world of work and technological innovation.”

This event marks the consistent strong collaboration between ITS and NUS that has been established since 2022, marked by the organization of the International Research Workshop at ITS and the success of ITS Information Technology undergraduate program graduates continuing their PhD programs at SoC NUS. The concrete steps to be taken after this guest lecture include reviewing the curriculum of the undergraduate Information Technology program and planning the curriculum for the master’s program in Information Technology, which is scheduled to open in 2025.

The presence of international students in this lecture also serves as tangible evidence of ITS’s internationalization. Rocel Audrey Batara MIT from Saint Mary University expressed her appreciation for ITS. “The MoU between Saint Mary University and ITS has just been signed, but it is immediately implemented in real activities. We will send our students for internships at the Smart City and Cybersecurity Laboratory of the Department of Information Technology at ITS,” she said.

In agreement with Rocel, Dr. Rowell Hernandez from Batangas State University also greatly appreciated this collaboration. “This year, we will send three to four students for internships at the Department of Information Technology at ITS, accompanied by one faculty member,” he said.

With NUS’s ranking in the sixth position globally in the field of Computer Science and Information Systems according to the QS World University Ranking 2025, this collaboration opens great opportunities for ITS to continue to develop globally. Concrete steps such as curriculum revision and the opening of a master’s program serve as evidence that the Department of Information Technology is serious about facing the challenges of the AI era.

With the spirit of internationalization and academic collaboration, ITS and NUS continue to strengthen their positions as centers of technological innovation ready to produce outstanding generations in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and information technology.

IT Journalistic
February 24, 2025
Clara Valentina